These are the latest flagship tablets from Samsung, and the first time that Samsung has done an “Ultra” tablet. It has been doing Ultra models for its smartphones for a few years now. Where the term “Ultra” means the best of the best. And now that is coming to its tablet range. The Galaxy Tab S8 series doesn’t boast a huge design change, however, the Ultra model does have a notch on-board. That’s due to the secondary front-facing camera. And of course, because Apple added a notch to its laptop. So here’s everything you need to know about the Galaxy Tab S8 series, and whether you should buy one.
How much does the Galaxy Tab S8 series cost?
The Galaxy Tab S8 will start at $699. The Galaxy Tab S8+ will be $899 and the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will be $1,099. There will be two variants of the Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+. With three for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. Consisting of different storage and RAM variants. With up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, which is pretty impressive – and actually puts it in line with the latest iPad Pro, which has 16GB of RAM.
What offers are available at launch?
Those that pre-order the Galaxy Tab S8 between February 9 and February 24, will get a keyboard cover. The Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8+ will get the Book Cover Keyboard Slim. While those that pre-order the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will get the Book Cover Keyboard – this is new for the Galaxy Tab S8 series. Carriers will also likely offer some unique promotions for the Galaxy Tab S8 series. We will update this post once those are announced.
Where can I buy the Galaxy Tab S8 series?
Samsung.com and Best Buy will be the only places that you can get the WiFi, Unlocked and carrier-locked 5G models. Samsung will also offer more variants and colors than the carriers and other retailers. So if you want a specific color and RAM/Storage combination, it’s a better bet to go to Samsung.com for your new tablet.
What carriers support it?
All three US carriers will support the Galaxy Tab S8. There is a 5G model, which will work on all three carriers. But, it’s currently unclear which carriers will sell the 5G model. But it’s safe to assume that it’ll be available from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
Which carriers will be selling it?
As of right now, Samsung has not announced which carriers will be selling the Galaxy Tab S8 series, but we fully expect all three US carriers to sell it. That includes AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
What colors is the Galaxy Tab S8 available in?
The Galaxy Tab S8 series is available in three colors. Graphite, silver, and pink gold for the Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8+. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will be available in graphite only. A bit surprising that the colors are so few for the Galaxy Tab S8 series, and doesn’t really match with the Galaxy S22 series. This is odd compared to recent years where Samsung has launched their phones and tablets in the same colors. As well as their earbuds.
What are the specs of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series?
What new features are coming?
So what’s new with the Galaxy Tab S8 series this year? Samsung has added some new features to the tablets this year, making it an even better tablet and closer to a laptop replacement.
Intelligent auto-framing
This works on all three models, but it works even better on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. As it does have two cameras on the front. There’s a 12-megapixel ultrawide, and a 12-megapixel wide lens on-board here. So it’s better for group video calling.
Three-window Multi-tasking
Samsung has always been the king of multi-tasking on its smartphones and tablets. Now on the Galaxy Tab S8 series, you can have three apps running on the screen at the same time. This is especially useful on the larger Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra which has a 14.6-inch display. This makes multi-tasking a whole lot easier. You can have Gmail open, browsing Twitter, and even watching YouTube all at the same time. Of course, Instagram isn’t going to work well here, but that’s because Instagram is stubborn.
Work as a second monitor on Windows 11
Samsung has added another feature from Apple, with the Galaxy Tab S8. That is allowing you to use your tablet as a second display for your Windows 11 computer. This is something Apple has had for years, and works quite well. This will make it easier to travel with a dual-monitor setup, without traveling with an actual monitor. There’s many more features added to the Galaxy Tab S8 series this year, and it does run on Android 12 and One UI 4.1
What cases and accessories are available for the Galaxy Tab S8?
There aren’t as many cases and accessories available for the Galaxy Tab S8 as there are for say the Galaxy S22 series. But there’s still some good accessories that you can pick up for your new tablet. Which are outlined below.
Samsung Book Cover Keyboard
The Samsung Book Cover Keyboard is a really nice case that you can get for the Galaxy Tab S8, which also has a nice keyboard. Making the Galaxy Tab S8 series into a really good laptop replacement. It also has a flap to keep the S Pen in place while it is charging on the back of the tablet.
Samsung Book Cover Keyboard Slim
This is pretty much the same as the Book Cover Keyboard, but slimmer. It’s really good for the Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+, which are the smaller tablets. And it has a keyboard included, so you can really use DeX to its full potential.
Which Galaxy Tab S8 should I buy?
Yes, the Galaxy Tab S8+ is likely the best option out of the three here. As the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is fairly large, and will be too heavy for most people. The Tab S8+ is a smaller model, that is still AMOLED 120Hz. So you’re still getting a really great display on this one. All three models are pretty expensive, but then again these are flagship tablets, with virtually the same specs as the Galaxy S22 series. Which is pretty impressive.
